Improvement in surface-condensers



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@anni fr IMPROVEMENT IN SURFACE-CONDENSERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HoUPT, of Springfield, Bucks county,Pennsylvania, have invented an 1m# provement in Sulttltce-Condensers;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

My invention consists of a surface-condenser, constructed and arrangedas fully described hereafter, in which, by the employment of a number ofvertical tubes, closed at their upper ends, and of a certain-arrangementof chambers, I am enabled to overcome the objections arising from thecontraction and expansion of the tubes in ordinary condensers, and toeffect a more thorough and rapid condensation of steam.

In order toenable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which formsa part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinalvertical section of my improved surface-condenscr, and

vFigure 2, a sectional plan view of the same, on the line 1 2, iig. l.'

The apparatus consists of a case A, made in the' present instance ofcast-iron, the interior of which is separated into four compartments, B,B1, B2, and B3, by the horizontal, inclined, and vertical partitions,ad, and c, the upper compartment, or water-space B, containing a clusterof vertical tubes, F.

The lower ends of the latter are secured in the usual manner to thepartition-plate c, and are open and communicate with the steam-space B-,but the upper ends ofthe said tubes are closed, and are fiee to contractor expand without loosening or causing the jointsat their lower ends toleak.

The cold water, which is caused to circulate among the tubes F, is firstadmitted to the apparatus through a pipe, h., into one end of thecompartment B2, passingentirely through the latter and through a pipe,ri, before it enters the upper water-space B. u In the latter there isapartitiomj, which causes the cold water to rst iiow" towards theopposite end of the compartment, and to consequently circulate among thelower ends of all the tubes, and then to flow in a contrary directionabove the partition `and around the upper ends of the tubes, until itfinally' reaches the pipe k, through which it passes from the apparatus.(See arrows in iig. l.)

H is the pipe through which the exhaust steam is admitted to thecompartment' B, and i are inclined tubes, forming a communicationbetween the compartments B and B", and intended for carrying'oi thewater formed by condensation of the steam.

A pipe, in., communicating with the bottom of the compartment B3, leadsto the air-pump.

The operation of my improved condenser is as follows:

Cold water is forced through the compartments B2 and B as abovedescribed, and the necessary vacuum is maintained within the tubes F,and the steamspaces with which they communicate, by means of theair-pump, as usual.

The exhaust steam is admitted to the compartment B through the pipe H,and,y immediately fills the. vertical tubes F, which, as beforedescribed, are entirely urroBunded by the water passing through thecham- The steam is rapidly condensed by contact with' the cold surfacesof thesevertical tubes, and the water formed drops from the same on tothe inclined partition Flowing to the rear end of the partition, byreason of its inclination, the water enters the inclined tubes i, and inpassing through the same towards the compartment B3, is coolen by thewater contained in the chamber B2.

It will be understood that the air-pump, with which the pipe m isconnected, draws off this condensed steam, and acts in the usual mannerin preserving a vacuum within the apparatus.

The advantages possessed by the above condenser over ordinarysurface-condensers may be enumerated as follows:

First, in ordinary condensers, the tubes, which are generally placed ina horizontal position, are open at are not permitted to expand orcontract, the joints consequently becoming loosened and leaky, and the`that the condensation and cooling of the water formed are more thoroughand rapid, inasmuch as the steam, which risesA to the top of each tube,has to return through the same tube before it can again reach thechamber B.

The vertical tubes also possess an advantage over those placed in anyother position, when the condenwater of condensation is less likely tobe directed into improper channels by the motions of the vessel; and tostill further aid the air-pump, by directing the Water towards it, thepartition d and tubes l are somewhat inclined, as before described.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Thearrangement, in a surface-condenser, of vertical tubes F, open at theirlower ends but closed at the top, substantially as herein described.

2. The vertical tubes F, closed at the top, in combination with chambersB, B1, B2, and B3, arranged in respect to each other and to the tubes,and communicating as set forth. Y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing' witnesses. V

JOHN HOUPT. Witnesses JOHN WHITE, Lotus BoswELL.

each end, and are so secured to rigid plates that theyv ser is used inconnection with marine engines, as the

